The Pairing

The Reasoning

A moment of bright sunshine in a dreary world, preserved lemons are a sweet and savory treat – tart and briny and nectarous in an environment that yields few pleasures. I couldn’t resist making them the focus of my cocktail.

The Cocktail

You will need:

Cocktail Shaker

Martini Glass

5-6 Ice Cubes

Superfine/Baker’s Sugar

Saucer

1 Lemon

1 tbsp Lemon Curd

2 oz Vodka

1 oz Triple Sec

0.5 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 Sprig Thyme (garnish)

Take your saucer and pour a little superfine sugar onto it. Cut a wedge from your lemon and swipe it around the rim of your martini glass, then dip into the sugar until the rim is fully coated. Tap to knock off any loose sugar, and set the glass to one side.

Put your ice cubes into the cocktail shaker, then add vodka, triple sec, balsamic vinegar and a generous tbsp of lemon curd. Squeeze out 1 oz of lemon juice and add to the shaker. Shake vigorously for 5-10 seconds to break up the lemon curd, and strain into the glass. Take a sprig of thyme and float it on the surface of the cocktail as garnish.

Well balsamic isn’t a very vinegary/acidic flavor (not like malt vinegar, blech) so really it gives it a bit of depth more than anything. I am an absolute lunatic once I get going though – pop rocks, bacon, you name it. nothing’s off limits! 😀